The Lodger (2009)

Moving on from a couple of surreal thought provoking horror flicks, I decided to check-out something that has always caught my attention, films about (or referencing) Jack the Ripper. So, when I read the premise of this one on the info bar, I jumped at it. The flick is 2009s, The Lodger.  

Plot/ The tale of a serial killer in West Hollywood has two converging plot lines. The first involves an uneasy relationship between a psychologically unstable landlady and her enigmatic lodger; the second is about a troubled detective engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with the elusive killer, who is imitating the crimes of Jack the Ripper.

 

Jack the Ripper has always intrigued me, I can say that I have read quite a bit of material, not to mention penning a poem (published in Horrotica Magazine) about the exploits of the most famous serial killer ever, so when seeing this I found it a very interesting endeavor. The acting, setting, cinematography and storylines were all very good and the way the murders were kept just out of view definitely added something. Unfortunately, some of the storyline seems forced, almost padding the run time, not to mention that the direction missed out on the inherent potential to create a lot more atmosphere throughout.  All-in-all, this was a decent mystery, one that challenges your deductive reasoning to figure out the killer (which they mask very well) and one that has just enough to keep a viewer watching. If you see it on cable, check it out (I would not run out and buy it though).